MOUNT OLIVE — Lejeune first-year boys’ basketball coach Joey Malott believes his team was better than what its previous winless record indicated.

But he added the Devilpups haven’t quit, and that mentality paid off Thursday night as Lejeune earned its first win of the season with a 75-67 nonconference victory at North Duplin.

“It feels good for the kids,” Malott said. “The stat sheet doesn’t really show how good they are. Being 0-7 and walking into this game, it would have been easy for them to hang their heads, but they went in and showed a lot of character.

“It wasn’t pretty, but it was a win and we will take it. I am very proud of how the kids fight.”